1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to aids for the handicapped, and is more particularly concerned with a crawling aid for infants having reduced use of one or more of their limbs.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Crawling is a typical part of early childhood development that commences between age 6 to 11 months, depending on the individual infant. Crawling continues until the infant becomes bipedal, which is normally around age 8–18 months. During this time, infants use crawling to interact independently with their environment and with their caregivers in order to perform certain critical physical, cognitive and psychosocial developmental tasks. These developmental tasks require that infants have opportunities to interact independently with their environment; otherwise the infant's development is hampered.
Infants with spina bifida have varying degrees of paralysis and sensory impairment of the lower extremities, which affects their ability to crawl. Physical problems common among children and adults with spina bifida include mobility problems related to their disability, obesity related to the lack of mobility and exercise, and lack of the upper body strength and fine motor dexterity which are typically promoted by the activity of crawling.
Cognitive deficits common among children with spina bifida include shortened attention span, problems with conceptual reasoning, and problems with receptive and expressive language development.
Psychosocial difficulties often observed in individuals with spina bifida include stubbornness, lack of initiative, lack of follow-through, dependency, and being manipulative of others. Other problems include problems with self-image and with community and peer acceptance, often resulting in behavior problems and cocktail party hyperverbality.
In summary, infants and children with spina bifida and certain other disabilities have problems related to lower extremity function which affect their ability to independently explore their environment, as do typically developing infants who crawl.
According to research on the plasticity of the infant brain, an infant's brain capacity is not genetically fixed at birth, but continues to develop after birth through an interplay of nature and nurture. Early intervention has been proven effective, but developmental timing is crucial as “time windows” exist during infant development when the infant's developing brain is especially efficient at certain types of learning. Also, human development occurs in stages that follow a structural and functional plan. These developmental stages are expected within given time frames, and growth within a specific stage is built on the successful completion of the previous developmental stages. When the infant's attempts at exploration and social interaction are restricted, the infant's physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development are hampered. Additionally, in adulthood, childhood learning disabilities tend to co-exist with other handicapping conditions including difficulties with interpersonal relationships, emotional well-being, behavioral problems, employment, and the ability to live independently. Thus, as children with spina bifida are living into adulthood, early intervention during the developmentally critical time of infancy can make a significant impact.
Devices have been proposed to assist infants and children to crawl. Such devices include either a small platform on wheels, or frames from which the child is suspended. However, none of these devices is appropriate to promote independent mobility and environmental exploration by the infant with spina bifida around the age of 6–18 months. Based on physical measurements of the typical infant, current mobility devices designed for children are too wide for a 6–18 month-old infant to be able to reach the floor at the side of the device, too short to provide for a place to rest the head or to protect the sensory impaired lower extremities when the infant backs up, too big to be easily maneuverable by a small infant or to provide for easy access for exploration of the environment, or lack the safety features (such as straps) important when mobilizing an infant with spina bifida age 6–18 months.
Consequently, infants with spina bifida and certain other disabilities move around their environment either by rolling or by using combat crawling to drag their body along the floor. Although such infants are independently mobile, these methods of mobility carry the potential for injury of skin due to friction or contact with hazardous surfaces. Additionally, because of the sensory impairment of the lower extremities, the infants with spina bifida may hurt themselves, yet not be aware of the injury.
Correspondingly, the use of infant seats, swings, highchairs and other similar devices restrict the infant's ability to move and to independently explore their environment; and, such devices interfere with floor time, which is critical for the development of infant gross motor skills and manipulative skills.